Over the past few years, there has been an increase in the attention around the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). We investigate what Corporate Social Responsibility is and what it means to us at SITU.
WHAT IS CSR?
Corporate Social Responsibility or CSR is a way of describing how companies measure and control their impact on society. This includes a company’s contributions (both negative and positive) to the economy, environment, and the greater community.
CSR provides a way for businesses to self-regulate and hold themselves socially accountable for their business’s best practices. The drive for CSR stems from the increasing importance for businesses to have a socially conscious image and effecting social change with their culture, beliefs, practice and profit.
There are four important types of responsibility that organisations should hold themselves socially accountable. These are:
× Environmental – Reduce the impact on the environment.
× Employees – Looking after staff (wellbeing, safe from harassment & bullying, comfortable & safe working environment).
× Community – Supporting charities, apprenticeships, offering work experience, volunteering.
× Responsible Trading – eradicating corruption, bribery, modern slavery, child labour.
A well thought out and developed CSR programme allows companies to demonstrate how they are approaching social responsibility. How they are making changes and highlighting what it means to them.
WHAT CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY MEANS TO SITU
SITU has been working tirelessly on improving our corporate social responsibility along with currently creating a formal policy document for the organisation. We have compiled a list of what we do at SITU – but this is only just the beginning.
Travel:
- The fleet of SITU company cars is all-electric. They are the first choice for all business travel. If the fleet is unavailable for use or the staff member is not permitted to use it, we pledge to source the next best environmentally friendly option to use.
- SITU has introduced a cycle scheme as an employee benefit and incentive scheme. Encouraging our team members to choose environmentally friendly options when travelling to the office.
Waste:
- SITU actively promotes recycling. Our HQ has recycling facilities at multiple points throughout the offices, along with additional bins within the break room for glass items.
- We teamed with a laptop donation scheme so all the laptops that are no longer up to business specification are donated to local schools.
- SITU recycles all paper and cardboard that we must use. We are making strides to becoming paperless and encouraging those around us to do the same.
Energy:
- All appliances within the SITU HQ are energy efficient and the lighting is LED.
- We have installed SMART plugs to our appliances so they are not left on standby overnight.
- SITU are investigating the options and steps it will take to install solar panels to the HQ to make headway in renewable energy sourcing.
FUTURE PLANS FOR SITU
We are ambitious in what we want to achieve. Jody Kennard, SITU’s Information Security & Compliance Manager is working hard to help us achieve future goals. These include:
- Awarded the ISO 14001 – an internationally recognised standard in environmental management.
- Achieving carbon neutral status – offsetting the carbon footprint of our business as well as our guests stays.
- Working with our suppliers on their sustainability practices and future strategies.
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